To jump or not to jump
by CrazyLadyJo
Summary: Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Aubrey, Kristopher, and Nikolas teamed up to get back at Risika? Well this is sorta my view point, summary bad, story good.
1. Chapter 1

To Jump or Not to Jump. That is the question!

Kristopher sat perched on top of the mountain, peering across the ravine at Resika, who stood balanced on the point of another mountain. Her golden gaze dragged across his skin like a razor blade, and he snickered at her in spite of himself. "What are you going to do Risika? Stand there all day and moan and groan about how horrible your life is. Or are you going to jump?" He cocked his head somewhat to the left and stared at her coldly.

Risika, shifted her possision somewhat and staggered on the mountains tip, for a moment, though Kristopher wouldn't have believed it had he not seen it himself, the young vampiress looked scared. She stared daggers across the ravine at Kristopher, who meerly shrugged in return. "I'll have you know, I will jump in my own good timing and I would think you to keep your mouth closed because you are not nearly as brave as you clame to be yourself."

Kristopher rolled his eyes, and smiled crookedly at Risika, "Says the vampiress who is running from Aubrey's wrath, and thinks that jumping off a mountain is easier than what Aubrey will do to you." He laughed coldly at Risika, "You know if you weren't so charming I would have gotten rid of you myself, long before now."

Risika cocked her eyebrow at the statement and apparated with a pop over to where Kristopher was standing, "Is that so?" She yelled into his face, "And just what is stopping you then?"

Kristopher smiled at her and nudged her back, "Aubrey is. He has claim on you and I would dare not defy him. Aubrey took me in, afterall, which is more than I can say for you."

"Yes, you're Aubrey's new little lap dog huh? Now I remember, yes, you are uniting to overthrow me, you and your brother, whats his name?"

"Nikolas." Kristopher hissed and shoved her away.

Risika laughed and took the blow in stride, "Yes, Nikolas, Well I tell you this Kristopher, you will not succeed, I've beaten Aubrey once before, and I will do it again. And this time anyone who gets in my way will feel my wrath!" She shoved Kristopher backwards and smiled coldly at him, "If you do not wish to suffer the consequence, then I advise you to stay out of my way."

"Risika, you never change do you?" The voice came from behind them, and Risika froze on the spot, Kristopher laughed as Risika turned ever so slowly to face the intruder, "Now, now, don't look so terrified Risika, did you think I would never challenge you again?" It was Aubrey, standing cooly behind her, in black shirt and pants his pale skin glowing in the moonlight. And at his side was none other than Jessica.

"Oh you," Risika said icily staring down at Jessica, who meerly smiled and flashed her new fangs, Risika paled even more than her normal ivory color and shook her long blonde mane out of her eyes.

Kristopher was laughing heartily now, so hard that Risika was sure that his head would explode from the pressure, she backed away and tripped on a rock, barely regaining her balance before she went over the side. Jessica looked at her from beneath dark lashes, "Aubrey wishes to kill you, Risika." She smiled belligerently, "You were a good character in the books I wrote, before Aubrey told me other wise not to, but I don't like you all that much anyway." She tapped the case of her lap top and opened it, then sifted through a file until she found a book she had started at the top of the page in bold letters it read: Risika's Story, "Consider yourself deleted!" Jessica hissed and hit the delete key.

Risika sputtered for a moment and when nothing happened she smiled victoriously. A low growl was heard behind them and a mountain lion charged past Jessica, Aubrey, and Nikolas and barreled into Risika, she let out a startled, "Oh." Before toppling over the side. For a moment as shocked silence wafted through the still night air, and Risika's body hit the rocks at the bottom of the ravine, the lion sat licking its paws. Suddenly it morphed into Nikolas who stood and stared at the rest of them.

Aubrey laughed, "I should have known it was you."

Nikolas shrugged, "She was getting on my nerves, I wondered if she was ever going to shut up and jump and when she didn't I figured I'd do it myself." He brushed his hair back and smiled crookedly at his twin brother, "Though I must say, Kristopher was doing a pretty good job of thoroughly unraveling that prescious little resolve she has." He winked at Kristopher and the four of them apparated and dissappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Kristopher stared out into the night, thinking about Sarah, the wonderful beautiful Sarah that he loved so much, these past few weeks without her had been trying to say the least. Nissa was sleeping in an over stuffed arm chair at Kristopher's back, her head buried in the crook of her arm. At her side was an unfinished carving of Nikolas and Kristopher with their arms spread wide; as if they were to fly. Kristopher pressed his face against the window and closed his eye's momentarily, to snap them open again almost instantly.

That sound! What was it? He craned his neck and stared up into the starry night sky, at first he could see nothing, he pressed his face harder still against the glass. Nissa groaned and turned slightly in her sleep, her arm slipped from under her head and over the arm of the chair, she jerked awake, and sat up in the chair. Her eyes flickered over to Kristopher's silhouette in the window, "Hey Kristopher," she whispered hoarsely and stood coming over to her.

"Be quiet!" Kristopher hissed and pressed his ear to the glass, the sound came again, almost instantly. He twisted away from the window and jammed his feet into his boots, then rushed out the door into the night, Nissa was right behind him.

"What on earth is wrong with you?" Nissa hissed quietly grabbing hold of his jacket sleeve, the moment Kristopher had wrenched it from her grasp, someone stepped out of the woods. Kristopher turned toward the intruder and took up a fighter's stance. The intruder was Turquoise Draka, a vampire hunter, who had once been a slave. Kristopher growled and bared his fangs, Nissa did the same.

Turquoise raised her hands in a symbol of peace and to show she had no weapons and stepped lightly out of the shadow of the woods. The sound came again and something passed over the moon, casting its faint shadow momentarily on the ground, Kristopher's eyes snapped up, just in time to see a hawk swoop down, carrying what looked to be a cobra in its talons. It landed lightly a few yards to the left of Kristopher, clicking its beak as the cobra slithered away, in the blink of an eye two people were standing in their place, both raised their hands in the same gesture Turquoise had made.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Yelled a tired looking Nikolas who had just rushed out of the house to join the rest of them, he looked as if he had just gotten out of bed, his long black hair was down and fell over his eye's and he was shirtless. Turquoise raised her eyebrows momentarily and tried to hide a smile. Nikolas brushed his hair out of his face perplexed, and stared coldly at the intruders. "Who the hell are they?"

Kristopher shrugged and stared at the assembly of people before him, he gestured at the newest joining member's of the group, "I know they are shape shifters but who they are, I do not know at the moment." He spun wildly to face Turquoise who had lowered her hands, she stared back at him unfazed, "Turquoise Draka, why are you here?" He spat, "You have a lot of nerve."

"Chill out Kristopher, you know I revoked being a hunter, I'm clean now, I haven't killed a vampire, shape shifter, or anything else for that matter for a couple of years. You know as well as I do, why I'm here." She replied coolly and gazed at Kristopher from beneath dark lashes, "Now you can either fight with us or die at your own will, either way it doesn't bother me."

Kristopher glared at her, but after a moment he finally relaxed, "If you are here to seek refuge, go elsewhere," he hissed, "Hunter or no, you are unwelcome here, refusing to continue in your sickening line of work, doesn't change what you tried to do."

Turquoise lowered her eyes, to the ground, "I pay for that mistake everyday, so why do you still torment me so."

Kristopher spat at her, but didn't say anything else. The night was starting to fade into the dull pink of dawn, he gazed at the sky and cringed, Aubrey still hadn't returned. Someone cleared their throat, he looked around, it was the shape shifters, "Who are you?" He asked them as Nikolas joined him.

The girl, the one who had been a hawk, stepped forward, "I am Danica Shardae." She bowed to him and took the boy's arm, the one who had been the cobra, "And this is my pair bond, Zane Cobriana, we come to form an alliance with you, after the uprising please do not turn us away."

Nikolas scoffed, "And what uprising is this?" He asked the stricken pair of shape shifters, "and since when is it customary for a cobra to take a hawk as its pair bond, I thought your species' were at war?"

Zane stepped forward, "the war between the avian's and the serpiente is over, now there is a new battle that is going to ensue." He stared reproachfully at Kristopher, "The woman that your brother killed, Risika, the vampiress' fledgling's are joining up with the falcon's and are going to wage war against your people and mine." He finished mournfully, "We have no choice, but to unite against them."

Kristopher's surprised expression mirrored Nikolas' this was an interesting change of pace and completely unexpected. At a loss for words the six of them trooped back into the house to discuss what they would do about, their newest problem. War, such a lovely word isn't it.


	3. Chapter 3

The front door was flung open and Aubrey stepped in with a giddy Jessica at his heels, his eyes swept over the group before him. Nikolas was sitting on a black leather sofa, looking pretty cross, at his side Kristopher was snoozing lightly, a map he had sketched sprawled across his lap. Nissa had taken up her whittling again, the finished carving of Kristopher and Nikolas sitting on a table beside her recliner, she was now whittling what looked to be a horse. On the couch, with each of their hands and feet tied, were Danica, Zane and Turquoise.

Aubrey raked them with amusement in his eyes and cleared his throat. Kristopher's head snapped up and the map slid from his lap onto the floor. Nissa looked up and nodded to Aubrey, then resumed whittling on her horse. Turquoise Draka glared at him and spit out her gag, Aubrey laughed at her, "Why hello there Turquoise," he said, "long time no see."

Turquoise spat at him, "There was once a time, when I would not have hesitated to take the thousand dollar bounty on your head." She growled.

Aubrey cackled evilly, "And why don't you Turquoise?" He asked mercilessly, "What? Cat got your knives?"

Turquoise hissed and Kristopher clambered off the sofa and went to Aubrey, "They came," he gestured at the threesome tied up on the couch, "while you were away. They claim they want to form an alliance with us, do to an uprising between us and Risika's fledgling's who have joined forces with the falcons because of Nikolas' murdering Risika." The threesome on the couch nodded.

"Well then," Aubrey said, removing his coat and handing it to Jessica, who smiled and tossed it on the coat rack. "I knew something like this would happen," Aubrey said coming into the room, "it was just a matter of when."

Nikolas turned and glared at Aubrey, "Yeah, Aubrey?" He hissed, "Well you could've told us before you got us into this mess!" Kristopher cast a wary eye on his brother momentarily then turned back to Aubrey and shrugged.

"You knew what would happen Nikolas," Aubrey smiled, "so do not deny that you didn't know what would happen if you killed Risika. You know every action has a consequence, just as well as I." He moved to the couch and stared down at Danica, Zane, and Turquoise.

Danica flinched, then stared steadily into Aubrey's eyes with an air of avian resolve, Aubrey removed her gag. "Yes, we have come to join forces with you," Danica's voice quaked as she said it, she just couldn't fathom the idea of joining forces with such demon's as vampires, but then again, she had never thought she would marry Zane Cobriana, either.

Aubrey peered down at her in amusement, "Are you scared of me, little hawk?" He asked. Zane struggled to free himself in anger, as Aubrey touched Danica's cheek lightly. Aubrey turned to Zane and bowed removing his hand from Danica's cheek, then removed Zane's gag.

Behind Aubrey, Jessica quivered then stalked sulkily out of the room into the den where she sat up her laptop and started typing again. Aubrey watched her leave and shook his head in displeasure then turned back to the now ungagged Zane.

"Do not torment Danica," Zane hissed, "it was my idea to come here." He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, "You see, Danica had a member of her royal guard who was also a very dear friend, named Rei, whom we thought was a raven or crow (can't remember) who turned out to be a Falcon. After Danica married me another member joined her guard named Erica Silvermead, who in fact turned out to be a falcon also, and she was in trouble with the falcons so she ran away." Zane took a breath clearly frustrated for it seemed that he had repeated this story many times and he continued, "Rei and Erica married and had a son, Nicias who is our daughter, Oliza's most trusted friend and protector. Nicias is a pure bred peregrine falcon, and Rei's mother will stop at nothing to get him on her side, Nicias refused however, and now the Falcon's have waged war against the avian's and the serpiente."

Aubrey waggled his eyebrows, "I still don't see what this has got to do with us." He replied flippantly. But before he could answer a shrill shriek erupted through the house coming from the den. Aubrey and the other's hurried to see what was the matter except for the threesome who were still tied on the couch.

They found Jessica, still shrieking and pointing out the window at the sky, "They're here," she bellowed, "The falcon's are here, we're under siege."

Aubrey rushed from the room and pulled out a dagger which he used to release the threesome on the couch, he turned to everyone and said, "Grab whatever weapons and food you can. We leave tonight."

Hehe, I know I cut it off right at the good part but that's what the next chapter for just wait and see.


	4. Chapter 4

(Da, da, da- doom like sound- The moment that you've all been waiting for is at hand.)

The night pressed at them from all sides, Nicias moved forward slowly taking care to not make a sound. Oliza lagged behind, stifling laughter.

"What?" Nicias demanded angrily in a low whisper, "What is so funny?"

"I'm sorry…" Oliza murmured then laughed again, "You just look so ridiculous!"

"What? Oh yeah," he looked down at his flagrant appearance and chuckled lowly. He was wearing an over sized shirt silk shirt in the serpiente style and furry cream colored slacks. His wings protruded from under the bottom of his shirt, (he had been having trouble changing easily from his demi-form to not having wings due to the sudden coming out of his magic) and he was barefoot.

Oliza stifled yet another giggle, "See what I mean?"

"Yeah, yeah," Nicias conceded, "but try and be quiet, we don't want to be discovered." And on they pressed in search of Zane and Danica.

Meanwhile… Out in a country grove, eight shadows flickered stealthily between trees. Off in the distance, a fire was burning, black smoke billowing up into the night sky; it was Aubrey's house.

The eight figures stopped momentarily and turned back to the scene of the fire burning and the shouts of angry falcons. One of the figures swore loudly, issuing a string of curse words that would make the devil cringe; it was Aubrey.

"Aubrey, calm down!" Kristopher hissed, gesturing wildly toward the scene, "They will hear us." He was referring to the gaudy falcons in the distance that were busy swooping and diving at the high-rising flames in search of their charge, as he rushed forward to console the distraught Aubrey. The rest of the group stepped forward and in the pale glow from the fire off in the distance, their faces were visible: Nikolas, Nissa, Jessica, Zane, Danica, and Turquoise all exchanged glances.

Aubrey spun on his heel and stomped toward them still cursing wildly under his breath, he glared at Nikolas for a moment as he shoved past them, calling vehemently over his shoulder, "Come on and you better be able to keep up, because we're picking up pace." And he disappeared into a thicket of trees. Nikolas and Kristopher exchanged dark looks then started after him; the others reluctantly followed.

"Where are we going exactly?" Nissa asked Nikolas who merely shrugged in return. Nissa stared after Aubrey who was plowing ahead of the group, murderously shoving branches aside, "Can we trust him then?" Nissa hissed, "If he won't even tell you where we are going?" Nikolas shrugged again.

"We're going to find allies," Kristopher muttered, "I don't know who yet, but we are. We can't exactly take on a whole army with only the eight of us."

Nissa stared at him, "Yeah I know, but why all the secrecy?"

Kristopher was about to answer, when Aubrey let out a grunt from up ahead and a crash was heard.

(Nicias and Oliza cont.)

Nicias shoved through a thicket of branches out onto an open path and stopped. Oliza ran into him and murmured something that sounded like a curse word, "Shhhhh," he hissed, "I hear voices."

Oliza started but then stopped, "You used magic on me didn't you."

Nicias nodded jerkily and shushed her again. The voices were drawing nearer and by the sounds of the feet rustling over the leafy ground their were at least six maybe more. Nicias grabbed Oliza's arm and dragged her behind a tree just as a man rounded the bend. Nicias could not see his face very well, but he could tell their were more people to come.

A wave of panic rushed over him as the man squinted in his direction and plowed toward his and Oliza's hiding place, Nicias turned to Oliza and told her to keep quiet.

"But Nicias…" Oliza began, but an arm snaked forward draping its fingers around her jaws. Nicias did not think, he grabbed the arm and yanked, the man that it belonged to grunted as he was pulled face first into the tree. Nicias let the arm go and the man fell backwards hitting the ground with a loud thump.

He peered around the tree at the man who was now lying on the ground cradling his head and moaning loudly, Nicias instantly recognized him as a vampire and stepped out from behind the tree drawing his dagger as he went. He leaned over the man dagger poised and ready to strike when a rock hit him in the side of the head and someone yelled. He turned to where the voice had come from shaking his head groggily and wincing from the pain.

"Nicias, drop that knife right now." It was Zane.

Hahaha, I left you off again, pretty soon I'm going to change the name of this section so don't be surprised if you look for an update and there is something there under a different name.


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